Friday, May 19, 2017

Key words: "Exceptions...if commissioners approved an increase unanimously"

The sky's the limit, thanks to uninformed Mt. Lebanon voters. 3,865 voters voted yes to give commissioners the power to raise taxes at any amount, if there is a unanimous vote. Voters thought they were voting to limit property tax increases.
 
The Post-Gazette reported  
In the race for the two-year seat, Mr. Riemer secured the Democratic nomination, and Ms. Cappucci will be the Republican nominee.
Way to go, Republicans. Elaine Cappucci is a Democrat and running for the seat that she resigned from or as an anonymous comment from May 17 succinctly stated, "Mt. Lebanon Republicans voted for Cappucci to appear on the November ballot for the two year term ... which is the very same seat that she gave up so that her son could get his (in through the back door, ill-deserved) job." You couldn't even support DePlato, a Republican!

Janice Crompton also reported,
Ms. Birks was the subject of recent controversy over accusations of a conflict of interest involving her role as executive director of Outreach Teen & Family Services.
No worries! Republicans voted to keep Mary Birks on the ballot, as well as the rest of the Timmy Ticket. As a Republican, I hang my head in shame.

17 comments:

  1. There's a reason the Republican Party that once dominated in Mt. Lebanon and created the the community everyone desired to live in is now almost non-exsistent.
    They've forgotten what the party principles and instead focus on cronyism.
    You photo of the Republican sign board at The Foster polling is all that needs to be said.

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  2. Don't worry, all Republicans are hanging their head in shame these days.

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  3. To all the voters and especially you republicans, if you go into the voting booth and don't have a clue on something like a HR Charter change or vote for candidates simply because you recognize the name... please stay home.
    If you feel you must do your duty as a citizen and vote then just go to the machine and not check off anything or anybody.

    Leave the decision up to people that can read, pay attention and understand what is at stake.

    DePlato should have been an R given, but nobody knew his name or where he stood on the issues.

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  4. Republicans and Democrats alike have problems choosing among those long lists of judicial candidates. Electing judges is a mistake. There is no simple alternative. Yet judicial selection based on merit or some other criteria is light years better than judicial elections. When is PA going to figure that out?

    Sylvia

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  5. Amen to that, Sylvia. Did you all see the Commonwealth judge/star struck actor wannabe Joe Cosgrove ad posing next to Martin Sheen? This is what he was emailing Dems: "Over the next 11 days, thousands of voters will be seeing this ad showing them that Judge Joe Cosgrove is THE BEST CHOICE for PA Commonwealth Court." Cosgrove ruled that we don't have the right to know if lethal weapons are being discharged next to our houses in Mt. Lebanon.
    Elaine

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  6. Luckily, Elaine, that actor Cosgrove (who ruled against you) will have to take his show on the road. He's done on Commonwealth Court. Came in 5th of six Dems for two seats. Good riddance.

    Sylvia

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  7. What will be even more amazing is the disaster awaiting the Lebo R candidates in November. The few that advanced did so only because they had no opponents in the primary.
    If they don't start defining the issues now and hammer away at that until November they'll be trounced once again.

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  8. 9:49am and all -- I think it may be closer than you think. I am particularly looking at the Stephenson-Silverman race. Stephenson is the type of "R" that could definitely swing some "D"s, if she plays it right--as she is pro-women's issues, pro-environment, pro-arts & culture.

    Silverman is also not well-liked by the "Sanders wing" of the "D" party... If Charlotte can convince the "D"s that she is more Sanders than Silverman, but not socialist, and not Trump-like, she will get enough "D" votes to win while maintaining 80%+ plus of the "R" vote. Also, independents and libertarians would be more aligned with the free-thinking Stephenson than the lackluster, insider Silverman.

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  9. Jason, Silverman's not well-liked by the "Sanders wing" of the party. Where were they in the primary? Silverman beat Lee by nearly 3-1, do you really think they'll abandon the D party to vote for Republican Stephenson.
    Good luck with that fairy tale.

    In Ward 4, Fischer will be dead meat against Grella unless he defines the issues and defines them big time. Just look at the numbers and party registrations.

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  10. Fact check. Silverman beat Lee by less than 2:1. If CS gets the "1," she wins.

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  11. Total registered voters in Mt. Lebanon (as of the date of the Primary): 26,484
    Total number of voters that cast ballots: 5,306
    Turnout: 20% - and that explains everything.

    Anecdotal evidence: The Independent voters I talked to didn't vote because they thought that since Pennsylvania is a Closed Primary state they weren't allowed to vote on ANY ballot item (all of them are originally from out-of-state). None of them even knew about the referendum question. Of course, it's on the individual person to acquaint himself or herself with the intricacies of the political system where they live.

    I tend to agree with 9:49 AM. As it is Mt. Lebanon Republicans are hardly distinguishable from their Democratic opponents. I also agree (mostly) with Dr. Margolis's observations concerning Charlotte, but for Ms. Stephenson to get her ideas out before the Mt. Lebanon polity she will need to make effective use of the media, and that will take money. The question for me, as an independent observer, is can she match (or better yet, exceed) Silverman's funding?

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  12. I am a Democrat and I will vote for Charlotte. And I wasn't even part of the Sanders wing.

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  13. Jason, I stand corrected, you are right the Silverman Lee race was closer to 2 to 1 than 3 to 1.

    On my small screen the numbers displayed in Elaine's post on the race it looked like Silverman had 860 and Lee 320 votes.

    Before I go further let me say I certainly hope Stevenson wins, especially in light of the HR Charter vote. I can't see Charlotte ever being just another rubber stamp favoring tax hikes.

    I am though curious by your thought though. You wrote: "... if she plays it right--as she is pro-women's issues..."

    Are you saying she should be a pro-woman candidate? Isn't this the same town that just a couple of years back to make our HR Charter gender neutral? But, now being pro-woman will make a candidate a winner. Aren't we suppose to be gender, race and religion oblivious?

    I'm confused!

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  14. http://news.morningstar.com/all/dow-jones/us-markets/201705191896/connecticut-nations-wealthiest-state-may-be-tapped-out-on-taxing-the-rich.aspx

    In light of the HR Charter vote, could we be seeing similar headlines written about Lebo soon?

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  15. Jason, you fail to see that the 'machine' is going to do everything it can to support Silverman. If there is a group of Ds discontent with him they better get active in their support for Stephenson if they don't want to be disappointed.

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  16. 3:59pm, you have hit it on the nose.

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  17. Jason, hope we don't have a democratic machine like the one in California that preaches unity, inclusion and foremost respect for people then stands on a public stage and lifts the finger to the President of the United States.

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